N1.3bn scam: Court suspends trial of Lulu, Amanze, others

[MrVan]

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Abuja

Trial of four ex-officials of the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, Sani Lulu, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Bolaji Ojo-Oba and Amanze Uchegbulam, accused of mismanaging about N1.3 billion belonging to the football house, was yesterday suspended by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Justice Donatus Okorowo stayed further proceeding on the 10 count criminal charge that was slammed against them by the

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to await the outcome of an appeal they have lodged before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.

The accused persons had gone before the appellate court to challenge the refusal of the trial judge to quash the charge against them for want of jurisdiction and lack of evidence.

The judge equally dismissed their contention that only the Court of Arbitration under the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA has the requisite powers to prosecute them over the allegations that were raised against them by the EFCC.

Besides, they had in their application for quash, queried the powers of the EFCC to try them without first securing the FIAT of the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

Though the court initially gave the anti-graft agency the nod to call witnesses against them, however, following legal moves by the commission to re-arraign them on a fresh criminal charge, the accused persons, on March 20, begged the trial judge to hands-off the matter for the sake of judicial hierarchy, insisting that the appellate court was already seized with facts of the case.

Meanwhile, before the case was yesterday adjourned till October 16 to await the decision of the appellate court, the accused persons pleaded the trial court to allow them to go for the 2012 Olympics in London.

They made the plea after EFCC lawyer applied for a short adjournment in June, saying the commission has perfected plans to re-arraign them on fresh charges once their appeal crumbles.

It will be recalled that the court had ab-initio seized all the travel documents of the accused persons as part of the conditions upon which they were released on bail.

 

Vanguard Nigeria